Harvey Robbins, the highly successful industrialist who built a local company into a world leader in flooring products during his career and dedicated countless dollars and time toward revitalization efforts for his beloved town of Tuscumbia in his retirement, died Wednesday.

Robbins, 80, cofounded National Floor Products Company, in Florence, with his father, Stanley Robbins, in 1957. In 1994, he sold the company to Domco Industries and focused on property development and projects for Tuscumbia.

Literally pouring millions of dollars into the city beginning in the late 1990s, Robbins gave Spring Park a major makeover that included designing and building a replica train that runs along 4,000 feet of tracks, light show with dancing water set to music at Spring Creek, 48-foot-high waterfall and bronze statue memorializing a Chickasaw princess,

“He gave back,” Tuscumbia Mayor Bill Shoemaker said. “He spent millions in the park and made it a landmark. He loved this city and we have lost a great man.”
Robbins also purchased several downtown buildings and helped fledging business owners open shops downtown. He created a downtown streetscaping project and brought back an old Tuscumbia landmark, Palace Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop.